As It Should Be
by TwiHardOrDieTrying
Summary: When Bella broke her hand defending herself from Jacob's unwanted advances, no one responded the way they should have. What if Bella hadn't been so indifferent? What if she had been defended and justice had been served? Here's how I think it should have happened. Not really one for those who are team Jacob. Rated T for very minor language and themes.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello my darling readers! This is my take on what should have happened concerning the whole "Bella breaks her hand** _ **because Jacob assaulted her**_ **" situation. I am team Edward 100% so this is not the one for you if you are team Jacob. I don't utterly loath Jacob and I don't hate Charlie; however, I did hate the way they both acted and I found myself wishing Bella or Edward would have actually done something.**

 **So here it is. Please enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot :)**

When the journey home was over, I knew that Charlie would be disappointed in Jacob... I knew I was. My trust betrayed, my hand broken, my best friend lost forever to the beast which had consumed him. This beast was not a vampire, nor the werewolf dwelling in his own mind. No, this was a beast harder to overcome; Jacob's delusions...a beast of his own making.

Though I had tried, hard, to prevent Jacob from becoming too attached to me and our friendship, I knew he had feelings for me anyway. However, this was no excuse for his treacherous actions. He had forced his kiss on me... stolen a kiss intended for Edward. He had taken what I could and would never have given him. In the beginning, I had loved Jacob... as a brother and close friend. He may have always wanted more from me, but just because you want something doesn't mean you're going to get it (especially if said thing you want already belongs to someone else).

My shock at Jacob's unreasonable behavior was genuine as much as it was immense. I had been a blind fool. Edward, though crossing a line while doing so, had warned me of Jacobs's true character. I had been too attached to the friendship which now only existed in my head; the friendship with the russet skinned Quileute boy who hadn't put any stock in his father's superstitions. I hadn't believed Edward's overbearing, yet well intended warnings. I should have.

My hand seemed to develop a heartbeat of its own as I gingerly opened the door of the car and stepped out onto the familiar, rain-soaked drive-way that belonged to Charlie's house. I felt a bit better knowing that Charlie was around, certainly he wouldn't let Jacob do anything untoward. I stomped up the drive briskly, clutching my aching appendage to my chest.

As I swung the door open I heard Charlie call out a distant "Hey Bells," from the cramped living room. I headed that direction and prepared to relay the events which had caused me so much pain to my father. As I entered the room Charlie saw my injured hand clutched tightly inward, it was beginning to swell.

"What happened this time?" he asked with a knowing smirk.

"Jacob kissed me against my will and I punched him," I murmured, I was unamused by what had happened and Charlie's apparent attitude was completely unappreciated. My good hand was fidgeting with the last button on the shirt I wore. I was vaguely aware of Jacob's presence over my shoulder. I couldn't wait to shower and change.

"Total misunderstanding," Jacob interjected, the mirth in his eyes was visible from ten feet away. He wasn't sorry...no, he wasn't remotely sorry.

Well I was; I was very sorry I ever went to La Push, sorry I had ever ignored Edward's well-meant warnings, sorry I had ever left Edward's arms in the first place. I was just sorry any of this had ever happened. However, I couldn't take it back and even though at the moment my brain was trying to tell me otherwise, I knew this wasn't my fault.

Being friends with someone and expecting them to treat you with the same decency and respect you gave them, should not mean that you are obliged to be in a relationship with them. Can't friends truly be "just friends" anymore? I was not obliged to give Jacob Black anything. I had given him two irreplaceable things; my trust and my friendship. He had broken one and thrown the other back in my face. I owed him nothing now and I sure as hell was not going to back down and call his inexcusable actions "a misunderstanding".

"No, actually, there was no misunderstanding," I spoke forcefully now. "Jake knew I didn't want him to kiss me, I had made that abundantly clear."

I was pretty sure that anyone with common decency would be deterred from kissing someone once they knew that person was dating someone else. This didn't seem to bother Jake though. He snickered in the background and to my utter disbelief, his laughter wasn't unaccompanied.

"Is something funny Charlie?" I was truly curious. Was I missing something? Did comical event take place during the time I was speaking? surely nothing I had said could be considered funny by my own father.

"Oh Bella," he chuckled again and shifted in his seat to face me. "I don't think a kiss should warrant such a reaction. I am sure Jake didn't mean any harm." His tone was dismissive.

"Besides, he's a better option than the boy you've got now." That last sentence was mumbled and almost inaudible, but I managed to get the gist. Apparently, Jacob did too because he coughed to hide his laughter. Charlie heard this and glanced up at Jake to share a knowing look.

Suddenly, I didn't feel very safe in my own house anymore. I stood from the arm of the chair across from Charlie where I had been perched and stalked into the kitchen. So angry and hurt... and... it was all because of my "best friend" and "father".

"Come on Bells, where are you going?" Charlie asked at the end of a chuckle. His sudden concern was astounding (note the sarcasm).

"I need ice for my hand," I said "obviously" I muttered afterward under my breath. "and I am calling Edward to come and get me. I need to go and see Carlisle about my hand." I reluctantly admitted. It's amazing how quickly you can stop trusting the people you thought you trusted the most. I almost felt afraid to tell my own father what I was doing for fear of him trying to stop me. I was a pretty independent person, but today had really taken a toll on me and I really just needed to feel safe and loved. Being with Edward could afford me both of those things. With a deep sigh I lifted my good hand to the weathered kitchen land-line and prepared to dial the number I knew by heart. Edward.

 **Thanks for reading the first chapter of my first multi-chaptered story!**

 **This story will only be two-three chapters so I will update soon.**

 **I love reviews and I welcome constructive criticism, but please be kind!**

 **I am still new at this.**

 **Kisses, Ally**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello my Darling readers!**

 **Thank you soooo much for your reviews! They make me happy! Some people sent me questions and suggestions. I really appreciate that and I will happily clear things up for you!**

 **Q:** **Is it really Edward's place to intervene with Charlie because, in Charlie's mind, Edward is only an anoying kid?**

 **A:** **I tend to think Edward would be very upset if Bella felt threatened and he would probably do something about it.**

 **Q:** **Shouldn't Carlisle be the one to deal with Charlie?**

 **A:** **I have several events planned for this story that have not occurred yet and Carlisle will be involved in the very near future so not to worry;)**

 **Q:** **Would Bella be that upset since it's not her first kiss?**

 **A:** **I can only imagine how I would react if someone kissed me against my will, first kiss or not, I would be very distraught at the invasion of personal space alone! I would be very angry and hurt. I tend to put my heart into my work so I gave Bella a reaction similar to what I think I would feel if someone I trusted did that to me.**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing, SM owns everything... Simple as that.**

 **Please Enjoy!**

BPOV

The phone barely had time to ring once before I heard the velvet symphony I had come to recognize as Edward's voice.

"Bella," he breathed. "I've missed you." His tone was sweet and familiar. Suddenly I wanted more than anything to be with him. I felt the salty moisture cascading down my face in silvery tracks and before I truly knew what was happening, I was crying.

"Bella, what's wrong?" His tone had changed now. It was no longer serene, but serious and concerned. I didn't want to be the drama queen my father seemed to think I was, but I felt as though I had been through more than I had been mentally prepared to handle.

"J-Jacob... he d-did... I mean h-he," ugh now I was crying too hard to articulate proper English. "My hand is broken." I finally sighed. The growl came over the receiver loud and terrifying and if it had been intended for me, the hairs on my skin would have been standing at attention. As it was, the menacing sound only brought me comfort; knowing the one I loved would soon be hear.

"Please come get me... I... don't feel safe here anymore." I was aware I sounded like a frightened child, but in my defense, my own father had just rejected my story and my ex-best-friend had assaulted me.

"I'm on my way, love." He sounded furious. Good. At least I wouldn't have to do this alone.

"Alright." I paused and nervously shifted my weight from one foot to the other. A thought flew through my mind and I suddenly couldn't let it go. " Edward?" I pleaded. "Can I come and stay with you for a while?" Though I hadn't previously considered moving in so soon, I was now certain that I wanted to call the Cullens' enormous white mansion in the woods, my home.

"How about forever?" Edward asked. I could practically see the upward curve of his perfect lips as he spoke the words just as clearly as if he was standing right next to me.

"ha-ha," I dead-panned humourlessly. "I hope you mean that, because with everything that's happened today I might just take you up on that."

"Bella, what _did_ happen to make you so upset?" His tone had once again taken on that serious timber.

"..." I hesitated. It's not that I didn't think Edward would understand or that I thought he would blame me, but Edward and I were not equals. There was no getting passed that. He was so far beyond me in knowledge, years, experience, (beauty...obviously), etc. One of the only "firsts" that we had experienced together was our first kiss. It had been new territory for both of us.

Up until today, Edward had only _ever_ kissed me and I had only _ever_ kissed Edward. That meant more to me than I usually let on. I wasn't very good at expressing my feelings anyway. That was another thing that Edward could do with ease. The fact that Jacob had broken that unspoken record had apparently wreaked havoc on my self-esteem. I sucked in a deep breath once again and blurted out the words in a puff of nervous, self-conscious air.

"Jacob kissed me. I didn't want him to! I promise! I couldn't stop him and... it frightened me. Since there was nothing I could really do about it, I just stood there until it was over. After he let go of me I reared back and punched him as hard as I could." I waited for him to react.

"Continue," his voice had that steely quality that made chills go down my spine. He had never spoken this angrily to me, though I knew his anger wasn't directed at me.

I recounted the rest of my story to him and just as I was finished describing Charlie's indifference to the situation, I heard a soft knock on the door.

I hung the phone back on its outdated receiver and scurried to answer the door. I threw open the door and before I had batted an eyelash, Edward's inner doctor had converged.

"How badly does it hurt? Can you move your fingers? How hard did you hit him?" …and a good number of other rushed and inaudible inquisitions were thrown at me.

I didn't answer. I didn't think. I didn't see. I just fell into his strong chest. His arms encircled me out of reflex. I hadn't realized it until this moment, but my eyes were still blurred and damp. The wetness was now brimming over and pouring down my cheeks onto Edward's soft (no-doubt designer) shirt.

"Shhh...shhh, Bella it's alright love. I'll take you to Carlisle and the pain will be gone before you know it. You are safe now."

I knew this was a true statement. The tears that fell were partially out of relief that I was no longer alone with my attacker and the man that should have cared more than anyone that I had been attacked in the first place.

"Do you want to go up and grab some things from your room?" Edward inquired.

"Sure..." I nodded, sniffling as I turned to trudge my way up the stairs. I was surely turning into a five-year-old, but I couldn't seem to care at the moment. I just wanted to get away from the events which had been troubling me since this afternoon. The Cullens' house could provide me with the refuge from my problems that I desired.

I scrambled and gathered what little I felt I would need for my stay. I was fairly sure Alice would have whatever I neglected to pack, so I didn't worry too much about it. I put everything in my predictable duffle bag and made my way back to the door and the stairs. As I approached the bottom of the stair case I could hear them all speaking.

"...She may be your daughter, but you are most certainly not acting the way any loving father should! She is obviously shaken and hurt and YOU... the two of you did this to her. She trusted you Jacob Black!... much more than it was ever good for her and you utterly shattered that trust and I suspect your friendship as well. I am sure that once her anger has subsided she will mourn the loss of that friendship and I will have to be the one to watch her cry when she does! It is your fault!"

"You've got some nerve taking that tone with me, boy!" As I peeked around the corner, I could see that Charlie's face was nearly purple as he said this. "Jacob is a close family friend and I am sure that whatever he did, it couldn't possibly compare to what YOUR leaving did to Bella!" Edward visibly flinched; wounded by my father's "bellow-the-belt" words. Jacob smirked... And I lost it.

"HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO HIM THAT WAY!" I was fuming. "What happened between the two of us is long-forgiven and, quite frankly, no concern of _yours_ to discuss!" I had quite possibly never been this mad in my life.

"Edward has _always_ taken care of me in ways that you couldn't possibly understand!" I shouted. "He has saved my life too many times to count. He has loved me and cared for me in spite of how much trouble I might've been at the time, with no complaint whatsoever!"

I had moved and was now directly in front of my father's face. "I have spent my entire life making sure that Renee didn't go without food or electricity. I've paid the bills. I've done the dishes, laundry, cleaning, and anything else you asked me to do ever since I came here! I never complained about doing any of it!" I was shaking at this point.

"I didn't _have_ to listen to you when you grounded me. I'm eighteen after all, but I listened to you and did as you asked because you're my father and I respected you. I don't respect the way you've decided to treat me and I certainly don't deserve it!"

I glanced at Jacob. "There is nothing more Iwant to say to _you_. I don't even want to look at _you_ anymore." I turned on my heel. Edward had picked up my duffle bag and wrapped his arm around my shoulders as we walked. My hand was beginning to go numb from the ice I had been cradling.

"Bella," Charlie called out after me. "Where are you going?" He sounded less angry now, just annoyed. I turned to look at him with sad, hurt eyes.

"Home," I spoke softly. And with that Edward ushered me out of the door and into the silver Volvo that would escort me to my new residence.

 **Wow! I never thought I would get so many reviews just over night! Since you guys were so awesome I decided to go ahead and upload this chapter a little early. I hope I was able to clear up any questions you had! I love reviews! Please let me know what you thought. Your comments really do help motivate me to write more and do better! I'll post again soon.**

 **Kisses, Ally**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello my darling readers!**

 **Finally, I've had the time (and will power) to sit down and finish what I started. Thanks soooo much for the reviews!**

 **I won't keep you waiting and longer. Please enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: SM owns everything...I own nothing. *sighs***

 **BPOV**

Edward pulled me closer as we walked down the weathered path to the shiny Volvo. This was comfortable, normal, and unlike the future that was quickly forcing itself on me, familiar. Though in the back of my mind, I was a bit jubilant to be living with Edward now, I was still unsure of myself and just a little nervous.

Would the Cullens all approve of my decision to invade their home with my mouthwatering, permeating, and throat-torching scent on a more permanent basis? Would they resent my assumption that I could just come and stay with them whenever the idea came to me?

I know Edward didn't mind; on the contrary, I think Edward preferred this. Though, I know he hated the circumstances by which this decision came to be made.

Always the perfect gentleman, he opened my car door for me and even helped me buckle myself, as my dominant hand was currently of no use to me.

"Thanks love," I sighed in appreciation of his thoughtfulness.

"Anything for you," he quipped.

Soon enough, and before I'd really had time to process what was happening, we were pulling up in front of the big white house in the woods. The wind was picking up and the tall spruce trees which surrounded the house swayed in sync with the breeze.

"Come along darling," Edward smiled. He had blurred around the back of the car and was now standing at my open door, duffle bag in hand.

"Okay," I breathed in relief. I was ready to be away from the troubling people who had made my day so dreary. The Cullens were sure to distract me from my woes at least. It would be good to see them.

Edward practically waltzed inside and I ambled along beside him, just trying to keep up with the pace that his long strides had set. As we reached the porch, Esme opened the door wide and smiled warmly at the both of us.

" Hello darlings," she chimed as we approached the door. When we reached her, she wrapped her arms around the both of us and gave a hug that definitely portrayed the maternal side of her.

"Oh! Bella, dear, what's happened to your poor hand?" She was genuinely concerned and her sudden change in tone had brought Carlisle out from the recesses of the house and into the entryway.

"She punched that dog because he forced himself on her," Edward declared. His voice a rich mixture of velvet and condescension. If he hadn't hated Jacob before today, well, he certainly did now.

"Oh! ...oh my, dear are you alright?" Suddenly I was back in her embrace. It was gentler this time, but it was comforting, knowing that I had a parental figure who did care about the fact that I had been assaulted today.

"I'm alright, just a little tired and sore," I murmured. My blush was making an appearance.

"Do come in Bella. If you'll wait in the living room I'll get my bag from the office and we'll get you all fixed up in no time." Carlisle spoke kindly, showing both the doctor in him and the concerned father figure.

"Okay," I agreed, a sudden wave of exhaustion sweeping over me like seafoam over beach pebbles.

Esme and Edward ushered me over to one of the soft white sofas in the living room and sat me down. While Esme took care of the rapidly melting ice I'd placed on my hand, Edward drifted up to the third floor to put away my duffle.

In less than thirty seconds all of them were back. Carlisle was knelt down and the nearest to my painfully swollen hand. Edward was at my side with a couple of painkillers and Esme was back with fresh ice for my hand.

"So, Bella, what exactly happened to make you feel so threatened?" Carlisle's words were soft and spoken with true concern for my well-being; unlike the way Charlie had spoken to me less than an hour before-hand.

I told him my story about what Jake had done and how I'd been frightened by the forceful and uncaring nature he had displayed.

"What did Charlie do when he heard? Oh... you have told him, haven't you? Because if you haven't I think he would want to..."

"Yes," I interrupted Esme. I was still too upset at my father's reaction to maintain the anger growing in me with every thought I gave my s0-called father.

"I told him the minute I arrived home. Jake was there too," I said stiffly. "When I told him...well he basically said I was over-reacting and being a 'drama queen'. Jake said it was just a misunderstanding and Charlie appeared to agree with him in spite of everything I tried to tell him. He sided with Jacob completely," I sighed.

"I was really too shocked to know what to say to that and that's when I called Edward to come and get me." Just thinking about my father's reaction to my experience hurt me.

"Bella asked if she could come and live with us," Edward inserted.

"Well I hope you told her she would be more than welcome," Carlisle spoke as he finished assessing the extent of my broken appendage and was now beginning the process of wrapping it in the appropriate type of bandage.

"Of course," Edward spoke with a smile at his parents. I wished in that moment that I had a relationship like that with my own mother and father. What little relationship I had with my father was now severely damaged due to his disrespectful and... to be honest...down-right cruel behavior.

My eyes renewed their incessant wetness and the droplets of salt water were once again starting to flow down my overly-pink cheeks in rivulets.

"Oh, I'm sorry Bella did I hurt you?" I looked into Carlisle's worried golden gaze. Carlisle cared, and not just about why I was crying presently, no, he _cared_ about my safety. It was obvious in the way he spoke. They _all_ cared about me. This... brought on a whole new wave of emotions.

I was touched that my surrogate family cared so much for me and was obviously willing to take care of me when I needed it.

"NO...no I just...um...I mean...I'm just tired and... grateful. Thank you for accepting me this way. I didn't want to be a bother to you, and... well, to be honest I was worried you'd all be upset that I'd just assumed I could stay here without checking with all of you first." My face, I'm sure, resembled a tomato at this point.

"Silly Bella," Alice piped in, she'd just appeared from somewhere in the house as if through a puff of smoke (or pixie dust).

"You really shouldn't worry so much, you are family and all of us love you!" She said as she flitted across the room to peck my cheek.

"Of course, Alice is right Bella." Carlisle's voice was firm and fatherly. "Esme and I consider you our child just as much as the others and we are thrilled to have you stay with us."

"You are one very loved human," Esme added in a soft tone.

"I couldn't agree more, darling," Edward had shifted closer and was now drying the tears from my face with an overly-expensive looking handkerchief he'd pulled, seemingly, out of thin air.

"I love you guys too," I ducked my chin down to my chest as I felt the red colouring in my face intensify.

They smiled and in that moment, I was no longer sad or nervous. I wasn't worried about living with them anymore because I knew they would always treat me the way family deserves to be treated. With love, care, and respect. Three simple things, but somehow, they were too difficult to manage for my father.

"I should speak with Charlie," Carlisle spoke up as if he were the family mind-reader instead of Edward. He sounded as though he was making an effort to conceal is extreme irritation at my father (the way I was sure all of us were feeling at this point).

"His indifference to your obvious injury and emotional discomfort should be confronted head on. Since you are a part of my family, I feel I should speak with your father and attempt to persuade him to see things from a more reasonable perspective. Would that be amenable with you Bella?"

"Yes, but you should probably know that I already told him off pretty strongly." As angry as I still was, Charlie had probably been scolded enough, for one day at least.

"Did you really?" Carlisle responded with mirth at my statement. I suppose I did come off a little smug.

"Yeah… uh, he umm… spoke to Edward in a way that I didn't think was acceptable so I kind of snapped." In my defense, Charlie had absolutely deserved it.

"Alright then I'll wait until tomorrow and I'll take it as easy on him as I can muster." Carlisle sounded as though he wished he could go ahead and speak his mind right now. I'm sure with everything that had been done to his wife and daughters during their human lives, it was difficult for him to tolerate people who mistreated others in any sort of way.

"Thanks Carlisle," I responded lamely.

"Of Course. Your bandages are finished. Try to take it easy for now Bella. With you living here it will be easier to monitor your condition, but I don't want you to over-extend yourself. For now, I think you should get some rest. We will deal with this in the morning."

As Carlisle finished I realized that it was actually starting to get dark out and it would be sleep time for the human in no time at all.

"Okay," I agreed through a large yawn. They all chuckled in the musical way that only vampires could.

"Bella, love, are you hungry?" Edward inquired.

I hadn't really thought about it until now but come to think of it I actually was rather hungry.

"Yeah, a bit" I answered sheepishly.

"Alright then," Esme exclaimed. "Let's get you something to eat."

And we spent the rest of the evening in the kitchen; chatting and eating, or rather I ate and they watched with unabashed curiosity. Once you got passed the whole embarrassment thing it was kind of funny that three vampires could be so thoroughly engrossed in watching a human eat.

I found that as the night came to an end, my vampires had made me feel so much better than I had when I had arrived. They truly were my family...and... I didn't think I would ever doubt their acceptance of me again.

 **Hey lovelies!**

 **So, it turns out I will be making this a bit longer than the three chapters I had originally planned so um...your welcome? I guess? Lol :)**

 **I am so grateful you're reading my story! It really does make me smile every single time someone reviews, so thank you!**

 **Kisses, Ally**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello my darling readers!**

 **A/N: A guest left a comment that I absolutely had to address right away! They were worried about the way Edward treats Bella and why my story didn't talk about that. The answer is, if Edward's behavior is to be dealt with, it deserves a story all its own. My story is only focusing on this particular episode with Jacob. Edward is flawed just like everyone else. He makes mistakes and sometimes does come across very overbearing, but he does this with the intentions of keeping Bella safe because he loves her. I think, in a subtle way, Stephanie Meyer dealt with this already. By the end of Eclipse, Edward's character has grown and has learned that it's wrong for him to control and make decisions for Bella. In my opinion, it is a major component of the book. They both grow together and learn not to make the same mistakes again. I hope I cleared this up!**

 **Sorry for the long A/N I just couldn't not respond to that. ;)**

 **Please enjoy!**

 **BPOV:**

As the sun rose, the enormous wall of glass that functioned as the focal point in Edward's room, allowed a warm yellow glow to seep in. It made my toes tingle and my eyelashes flutter against it. I turned onto my side and curled further into the perfectly carved marble that supported my head. I could feel my lips curving up into an involuntary smile at the thought of my Edward.

"Good morning angel," Edward spoke softly.

"G'morning," my answer was murmured and quiet.

"Sleep well baby?" he asked with a grin.

"mmmhmm," my brain was still shrouded in the fuzzy blanket of sleepiness.

After a bit more lounging around, a fit of stretching, and a giant yawn, I got up and dressed in some clothes that Alice had left for me. When I was dressed and presentable, I padded through the hallway, down the long flights of stairs, and into the kitchen.

Greetings were exchanged and food was consumed. It was obvious by the stillness of the atmosphere that we were all a bit nervous for what today would bring.

"I think we should drive over to see Charlie, rather than waiting for things to escalate further." Carlisle spoke as he entered the kitchen.

"I think you may be right, dear." Esme answered in a soft tone.

"What do you think, love?" Edward asked lowly.

I thought for a moment and then responded with a lame "okay". It was all I could think to say. I was shaken and anxious to get this confrontation over with.

Carlisle went outside and pulled up front in his glossy black Mercedes less than a moment later.

We climbed in; Esme in front with Carlisle and Edward in back with me. Edward held my hand and gingerly brought it to his lips for a kiss. The care with which he did this nearly brought tears to my eyes.

Soon enough, after almost flying down the rain-slicked pavement, we pulled into Charlie's worn driveway; the driveway that up until yesterday had been my own. Edward stepped out and held the door for me as I slid across to his side to get out. I needed to be as close to him for as long as possible today.

We approached the door and Carlisle glanced back at me with a sympathetic smile as he raised his up-turned fist and knocked once, twice, and a third time on the door.

It felt strange to knock at this door because in a strange, residual kind of way, it still seemed as though it was my door.

The door swung open and Charlie peeked out. He was wearing his uniform. He must have been about to leave for work soon.

"Good morning Chief Swan," Carlisle's tone was friendly, but not overly so. I could tell he was making an effort to be kind.

Charlie muttered a gruff "morning" in return.

"May we come in? I feel there are some pressing matters which need to be discussed, sooner rather than later," Carlisle implored.

Charlie responded with a mumble which was inaudible to me and opened the door wide enough for us to step through.

Once we were all situated in the living room the discussion began.

"What can I do for you Dr. Cullen, Mrs. Cullen?" Charlie spoke with a false innocence; like he knew what was coming but would rather pretend he didn't.

"I wanted to discuss your treatment of Bella yesterday. Though normally, I would never presume to call it my place to do so, I feel I must condemn your treatment of her and your way of dealing with the entire situation." Carlisle's voice was firm and strong as though he was truly in charge of the meeting.

"I should probably tell _you_ then that your _boy_ there took a tone with me that I didn't appreciate. Don't you teach your _kids_ to respect their elders?"

"No," Esme piped up. "We've taught them to show respect to those who deserve it."

Esme's statement was spoken with an undercurrent which suggested she was more than just annoyed. I'm pretty sure my jaw wasn't the only one in the room that dropped.

Charlie's mouth opened and closed a few times.

"How dare you come in my house and..."

"No Charlie!" Esme interrupted, surprising us all. "How dare you treat your only child this way! You were lucky enough to be given the chance to have a child; to take care of her and protect her. Your behavior is despicable!"

In all the time that I'd known Esme, I'd never even seen her raise her voice other than to scold Emmett for breaking something. She was furious and her ire was dripping from every syllable she uttered. Carlisle reached his arm around her shoulder to calm her, but she had more to say.

"I would give anything to have a child of my own to take care of! Bella has become a daughter to me and to Carlisle as well and if _you_ are not going to protect her then _we_ will."

Carlisle began speaking now with conviction and in obvious agreement with his wife.

"As for the way Edward spoke to you, if my teenage son deems it necessary to defend his girlfriend from her own father, then perhaps you should reevaluate your parental choices."

I was in shock at how much the Cullens were willing to stand up for me. Charlie appeared to be feeling the same way, though he looked more offended than grateful.

"Is there anything more you'd like to add before we go, love?" My sweet Edward asked, always thinking of me.

"No," I responded " I said everything I could think of to say yesterday."

"Wait a minute!" Charlie exclaimed as we stood up to go. We turned back to look at him and he seemed conflicted.

"I'm sorry Bells," he sputtered out. He appeared to be confused as to what had just happened to him.

"Me too... I'm sorry it had to come to this," I said with one last glance at him. With that, we left. I was sad to have to leave things with my father in such a disarray, but in truth, it was his own fault and I had tried to make him see where I stood.

We got back in the car and settled in for the ride back home. Home... that sounded so good. I felt the urge to speak up in that moment.

"Thank you all so much for defending me." I said adamantly.

"We will always protect our family," Carlisle replied calmly. I smiled at the way they included me in their family so readily.

"What are we going to do about the wolves?" Edward inquired.

"I will make a call to their alpha, Sam Uley," Carlisle responded. "Certainly, he will rule the way Jacob behaved as unreasonable as we do. I'm sure he will handle Jacob's punishment. He seems to be a worthy leader; one who will make sure that his pack takes responsibility for their actions. In any case, we cannot take matters on that end of the spectrum, into our own hands for fear of disrupting the treaty."

Edward seemed unhappy about that, but nodded in acquiescence to his father anyway.

And all was as it should have been. I was with my family... loved, cared for, and protected. If the roles were ever reversed, I knew I would do for them what they had done for me. The car ride home was much less anxious than the ride to Charlies had been because I knew when we arrived at our destination, I would be where I belonged.

 **The End**

 **There you have it. Thank you so much for reading! I've loved writing this fic. Your reviews have been lovely! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it.**

 **Kisses, Ally**


End file.
